cleaning

Making beds, doing laundry, and washing dishes are just some of the life skills you can learn in the Cleaning category.

How to wash dishes

How to use a laundry machine

How to clean up at a food court

How to change bed sheets

Entertainment

From purchasing movie tickets to buying concessions, find Card Decks to support all your entertainment needs.

Enter a Theatre at Centre in the Square

Finding Seats at Centre in the Square

Buying a Ticket Over the Phone for a show at Centre in the Square

Behaviour in the Theatre at Centre in the Square

Food

Learn many helpful tasks, such as how to prepare simple meals, how to make a cup of tea or a smoothie, how to eat healthy, and even how to check expiration dates, just to name a few.

Ordering a pizza online from Pizza Pizza

Ordering Baked Goods at Tim Hortons

Making a Cup of Tea

Ordering a drink from Tim Hortons

Travel

From purchasing bus tickets and passes to riding the bus, the Travel category has the Card Decks to get you where you need to go!

Planning Your Trip Online with Grand River Transit (GRT)

How to Transfer Buses with Guelph Transit

Riding the Bus with Guelph Transit

Safety and Help for Grand River Transit (GRT)

Arts & Culture

Arts and Culture can help you navigate going to see live shows, from buying your tickets to finding your seats.

Behaviour in the Theatre at Centre in the Square

Going to the ROM

ROM's tour of the Dinosaur Gallery

Going to the Bathroom at Centre in the Square

Social

From calling friends to mailing letters, find Card Decks to support all your social needs.

Rogers guide on how to make a call

Asking for Help During Class

Rogers guide on how to send a text message

How to say hello or goodbye to somebody

Health

Going to the dentist, dealing with anxiety, how to brush your teeth, and even what to do when feeling ill, are just a few of the topics within the Health category.

What to expect at the Dentist's

How to pick up prescription medication

What to expect at a health check-up

How to deal with sadness

Money

Learning how to pay for items and using a bank machine to get money are just some topics in Money Management.

CIBC's guide on how to Use a debit card to buy things

CIBC's guide on how to pay a credit card bill

CIBC's guide on withdrawing cash from an ATM

CIBC's guide on depositing a cheque into an ATM

Personal Care

Learn all about how to take care of yourself in Personal Care.

How to put on deodorant

How to wash your face

How to floss

How to clean ears

Shopping

From creating your shopping list to using the self-checkout, the Shopping category helps you navigate shopping with independence.

How to go grocery shopping

How to make a grocery list

How to use the self-checkout

How to find items

Safety

Topics in Safety will teach you a range of things from how to change a light bulb to calling emergency services.

How to ask for directions

How to call 911

How to change a lightbulb

How to change a fire detector battery

Fun

Going to the library, riding your bike, and outdoor activities are a few of the topics in Fun!

How to Get a Library Card at KPL

Checking out your item at KPL

Walking a Dog

Planting a Flower

Magnus

is a fun digitallife skills guide that helps
people thrive and gain independence.

Download the FREE app now!

Experience MagnusCards

DISCOVERWhat is MagnusCards?

LEARNHow Does MagnusCards work?

EXPLOREWhere do people use MagnusCards?

PARTICIPATEWho uses MagnusCards?

What Is MagnusCards?

MagnusCards is a free app that combines a proven method of instruction (Social Stories) with elements of game design to help people learn life skills. With Magnus as your guide, you can collect and create digital Card Decks, which provide step-by-step instructions for various social interactions, situations, behaviours, and activities. For example: grocery shopping, doing laundry, and taking the bus.

How Does MagnusCards Work?

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

Choose a topic that you would like support in completing.

Download the Card Deck to your mobile device.

Swipe through and follow instructions to learn and master new tasks.

With practice, individuals can use MagnusCards to complete a variety of activities with independence. Caregivers can also customize and create their own Card Decks in the MagnusCards workshop!

Download the Card Deck to your mobile device.

Read Aload

Magnus needs to take more than one bus to get to where he’s going. He will need a transfer ticket. Follow along and learn how to transfer buses with him.

Swipe through and follow instructions to learn and master new tasks.

Where Do People Use MagnusCards?

MagnusCards provides unlimited support in the palm of
your hand. It can be used to practice and support activities
at home (like brushing teeth), at school (like transitioning between tasks), and in the community (like ordering food at
a restaurant). The app is useful in preparing for new situations or reinforcing the steps involved in an everyday routine. Also, once Card Decks are downloaded, no Internet access is required to view them.

Who Uses MagnusCards?

Card Decks within MagnusCards can be used by anyone who benefits from structured, step-by-step guidance. The app is particularly useful for those with autism, ADHD, Aspergers, acquired brain injury, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, dementia and other cognitive special needs. Individuals, parents, teachers, and therapists benefit from the ability to create custom Card Decks based on the unique needs and learning styles of people they support.

About

Magnusmode: Family Roots

Magnusmode is the company behind MagnusCards and was founded by Nadia Hamilton, whose brother Troy has autism. When Troy graduated from high school, there were few opportunities for continued personal and social development. This inspired Nadia to start a company that leverages technology to empower and support people with cognitive special needs.

Nadia and her brother Troy

Watch the video to learn a little more about Magnusmode.

Testimonials

My son LOVES MagnusCards. We have created Card Decks about cooking and baking. When I saw the CIBC Card Decks, I immediately thought they are just what he needs next.

--- D.E.,

parent of a young adult with ASD

I follow steps in MagnusCards to get my groceries and use the check-out system. It is great being able to go through the steps and stay on track.

--- Bridgette W.,

MagnusCards community member

The majority of our participants were able to use the tool independently to complete specific life skills activities. MagnusCards has tremendous potential to be utilized to improve access for people in a variety of key life skills areas including employment, education, and daily independent living.

--- Marg Spoelstra,

Executive Director, Autism Ontario

I really like the way you can make your own, we made a Card Deck on making pancakes.

--- B.F.,

Mother of 20 year old man with autism

The ease of use of the product means that more able people with ASD can produce their own materals for self-support and self-advocacy, which is also an exciting development.

--- Laurie P.,

MagnusCards community member

[MagnusCards] has real potential to empower people living with autism in key areas such as employment, education, and daily independent living.

--- Laurie Mawlam,

Executive Director, Autism Canada

We often create visuals for students with ASD that break down tasks into smaller more manageable steps but not in this format so I believe there is a lot of value in this. [MagnusCards] combines the visual information with technology which will also be more engaging for students with ASD. The idea of earning coins would be reinforcing for some, especially those individuals who love video games.

--- M.C.,

Special Education Teacher

Easy to use, useful, engaging: I recommend MagnusCards to anyone who is having difficulty with executive functions (remembering, sequencing, time management, for example)…anyone who just cannot learn by hearing the lesson or steps. When we use visual resources, we are increasing the chance for success.

--- M.S.,

Autism consultant, autism workshop facilitator, autism advocate, parent of a son with autism and grandparent of a grandchild with autism

I used to create social stories using the Boardmaker program. I found a link for MagnusCards and I was intrigued with the idea that I could quickly make social stories with relevant pictures that my students could easily view on iPad. I have always created hard copy stories but this is very time consuming and the iPad is a motivating factor.

--- P.S.,

An elementary school special needs educator

Usually I have to prompt and lead my son through activities step by step. With MagnusCards, he was able to take the lead and make decisions about what he wanted to do. It was quite wonderful.

--- Lauren B.,

MagnusCards community member

I find they [MagnusCards] are very helpful. I would say my favourite category is entertainment. I love watching baseball and hockey. I’d love to get some card decks on those. If we aren’t sure how to do something, we just look and see how to do it.

--- Paula,

MagnusCards community member

It was good to have cards to help us find out seats at Center in the square, and to find where things are.

--- Nancy M.,

MagnusCards community member

I use MagnusCards a lot. It shows me how to clean my glasses.

--- Laura G.,

MagnusCards community member

MagnusCards is an example of true community engagement that resulted in something significant for those we support… acceptance and belonging

--- Kathy Loveys,

Executive Director, Parents for Community Living

Download FREE App

Magnus is a fun digital life skills guide that helps people thrive and gain independence.

Download the FREE app now!

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